It's important we know which foods we should and shouldn't be eating
Depriving yourself and your body will only leave you feeling down in the dumps, it’s time we make some simple lifestyle changes for a healthier and happier you.
It’s time to stop counting calories and follow these suggestions from Faith Toogood, nutritionist working with Spire Bristol Hospital and Vavista.com, on which foods to stop eating today and which health-boosting options to try instead…
Five foods to give up today:
Sugar:
The sweet stuff is enemy number one when it comes to losing weight. Recent studies have suggested that our excessive consumption of sugar is contributing to the obesity epidemic - on average we’re eating about twice as much sugar as we should be.
Sugar is just pure, refined energy, which is great if you’re a professional athlete and intend to burn off the energy straight away. However, for people with sedentary lifestyles and desk-based jobs then sugar will quickly turn to fat as it triggers the release of insulin, which in turn encourages our bodies to store excess energy as fat.
Try to opt for low sugar alternatives and get in the habit of reading the labels of the foods you buy – and if sugar is listed in the first three ingredients then don’t buy it.
Hidden sources of sugar include breakfast cereals and bars, fruit flavoured yogurt including low fat versions, ready-meals, fizzy drinks – a can of coke contains 9 teaspoons of sugar – as well as packaged cooking sauces.
Trans fats:
A trans-fat is form of unsaturated fat which behaves like a saturated fat because of its chemical structure. It should be avoided as trans fats increase the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol in your blood, which also lowering the amount of ‘good’ cholesterol in the blood.
They’re most commonly found in some margarines and oils so always check the labels and choose polyunsaturated and monounsaturated spreads instead.
Processed meats:
A processed meat isn’t just spam, which is what initially springs to mind. The definition includes any meat that has had something done to it to make it last longer (through salting, curing, smoking or using chemical preservatives) which includes lunch meats such as Parma ham and bacon.
They’re bad for your health as they’re high in fat, calories and salt, and they’ve even been linked to cancer due to the chemicals and nitrates used to preserve the meat. Last year a large scale study of half a million adults across Europe linked eating too much processed meat with early death.
Try to cut down on the processed stuff by introducing meat-free days and when you do eat meat try to buy organic products. Always read the labels too and look for added ingredients.
Ready-meals:
They’ve been on the bad list for a while, but ready meals are often laden with a large amount of salt and sugar and are highly processed. Popular choices such as lasagne, moussaka and curry are some of the worst culprits as they can contain large amounts of saturated fat.
Luxury ready meals are often worse than their value counterparts. In 2012 a Glasgow University study found that one supermarket’s luxury cottage pie contained 39 per cent of the recommended daily saturated fat limit, while a value version had just 18 per cent. Similarly, a special macaroni cheese was found to contain118 per cent of the daily saturated fat limit whilst the cheaper option has 48%, which is still extremely high.
Instead of buying ready meals opt for quick simple meals which are easy to make, and won’t take much longer to make than the ready meal takes to cook. Make more than you need each day then freeze the leftovers to eat on a day when you need something quick and easy.
Low-Fat foods:
For years we’ve been taught that low fat options are good for us, but that’s not always the case. Artificial sweeteners, extra sugar and fillers are all used to make a product taste good without the fat.
Low fat yogurts are a good example of this as they’re often virtually fat-free, but contain a disproportionate amount of sugar.
Artificial sweeteners are found in diet fizzy drinks as well as seemingly ‘healthy’ options such as cereal bars.
Five easy-to-find foods to boost your health:
Nuts:
Nuts are packed with protein, fibre and essential fats, which makes them a very healthy snack.
Just a handful of nuts contain a variety of vitamins and minerals – from vitamin E to help your skin to zinc which aids fertility. The best choices include almonds, brazil nuts, cashews and walnuts.
Oats:
Oats have long been associated with a healthy lifestyle and for good reason. Wholegrain oats are a good course of carbohydrate, magnesium and have a low glycemic index, which means they release energy into the blood stream slowly.
This is because oats contain a type of soluble fibre called beta-glucans, which slows down the speed at which carbohydrates are absorbed into the bloodstream. Slower digestion prevents spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. Magnesium is essential mineral and key to enzyme function and energy production. It has been shown to help prevent against heart attacks and strokes by relaxing blood vessels, aiding the heart muscle, and regulating blood pressure.
Kale:
This leafy green has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity and rightly so. It’s extremely nutritious, widely available and cheap so there’s no excuse not to give it a try.
Kale is very low fat and low in calories and it’s also a good source of dietary fibre, iron and calcium.
Gram for gram kale contains 17 times more Vitamin C than carrots and it’s also an excellent source of folate, the form of folic acid occurring naturally in food.
Folic acid is a B vitamin and is important because it plays a role in normal formation of blood, and supports the immune system to function normally. The anti-oxidant Lutein can also be found in kale, as can vitamin A and vitamin K.
Oily fish:
There is some evidence that oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines help protect against cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, age-related vision loss and dementia.
Eating two portions of fish a week, with at least one of these being an oily fish, can help maintain a healthy blood pressure and reduce risk of heart disease.
Fish can be expensive so if you’re on a budget then try tinned sardines on toast or a mackerel salad, which are cheap, nutritious options.
Pulses and beans:
Pulses include foods such as beans, lentils and chickpeas – they’re a great low-fat source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals such as iron which makes them an excellent addition to a healthy diet.
A portion of pulses count towards your five a day and can be added to a wide range of different dishes to add flavour and texture. They can also be served as an alternative to meat.
Pulses are a cheap way to create low fat, nutritious and cheap meals. If buying tinned pulses try to opt for brands with no added sugar or salt.
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